Transfer of Indian prisoners from Lanka begins

Colombo: For the first time, two Indians, imprisoned in Sri Lanka, were sent back to India today under a bilateral agreement on the transfer of sentenced persons.

"Two eligible sentenced Indian nationals, serving prison terms in Sri Lanka, were transferred today to Trivandrum, Kerala under the provisions of the India-Sri Lanka bilateral Agreement on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons," Indian High Commission said.

All formalities in respect of 20 persons (six from Kerala and 14 from Tamil Nadu), including the two transferred earlier today, have been completed and their transfer to India will be undertaken within a week.

There are 31 sentenced Indian nationals undergoing prison terms in Sri Lanka eligible for transfer to India under the terms of the Agreement.

Formalities with regard to the remaining 11 eligible persons are already underway.

The India-Sri Lanka bilateral Agreement on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons signed on June 9, 2010 provides for the conditions under which such transfers can take place and the various obligations of the transferring State and the receiving State.